The Hunter's Curse
by KyuRisu
Summary: An intuition brings Champion Cynthia into a mess she never wanted to be in. Meanwhile, Pokemon Hunter J is revealed to be alive. Drawn to each other by some inexplicable force, how will such different people survive together? Reviews and advice are much appreciated! ON HIATUS
1. Lakeside Encounter

Champion Cynthia of the Sinnoh region woke up from her sleep in a fit of anxiety. Really, it didn't make any since. The threat was over, the Lake Guardians had been saved, Dialga and Palkia were calm and back in their own dimensions, and Pokemon Hunter J was dead. It was the last part that made her stomach twist. Sure, she had been an awful person, but the way she had died… Cynthia didn't feel like anyone deserved that. And there was still the nagging feeling that she wasn't even dead, no matter how impossible such a thing was. Sighing to herself, she decided to have her Garchomp fly her to Lake Valor. Maybe that would ease her mind. She had no way of knowing that it would do the exact opposite.

Cynthia arrived on the shores of Lake Valor, shining peacefully with moonlight. Then someone coughed. Cynthia nearly jumped out of her skin. Who else would be here in the middle of the night!? A brief investigation revealed the answer and Cynthia nearly had a heart attack. It was Pokemon Hunter J, half submerged in the water, severely injured but alive. Panic swept over her. She had no idea what to do, all of her logic had suddenly fled her mind. ' _Call the police, idiot. Call the damn police!'_ Her instincts told her to get rid of the threat, but her heart took in the woman's injuries, and what seemed to be a metric ton of blood. She couldn't possibly be dangerous now. ' _No. The hospital. Call the hospital_.' Hands shaking, she called for an ambulance. She stood paralyzed as the woman was driven away to the nearest hospital, sure to end up in prison should she survive. Why, why after all the horrible things she had done did Cynthia not want that? The police were praising her for making sure she was 'captured' but it was rubbish. She had saved her life is what she had done. A day later they would have been fishing a body out of the lake. So why did she still feel so… wrong? Abruptly cutting off Officer Jenny mid-sentence, she left to rest. She feared she might vomit if she stayed here any longer. Pokemon Hunter J was not dead… but how could she possibly have survived? It would have taken a miracle for her to live.

A day later, Cynthia still could not get rid of the sickening feeling within her. The hospital staff had informed her that J was alive and stable, but comatose. She had ended up paying for the woman's hospital bills. What the hell was wrong with her? Sure, it was just wrong to willingly let anyone die, but she could have left her to pay her own damn bills. Was it pity? Was she sorry for the ruthless hunter after seeing her in such dire straits? She didn't know. The newspapers happily broadcasted the news that J would never be a threat again, and it seemed as if everyone was overjoyed. Some of them were even saying she deserved to be executed, which was just so wrong. Someone, something, whatever, had sure wanted her to live awful badly, to have the chance at life ripped away from her like that was too cruel, even for J and _dear Arceus why was she so wrapped up in this!?_ It was like there was someone else at the lake. Something else. The aura that wouldn't leave her thoughts. An aura that made it impossible for her to get her mind off of anything that had happened. Cursing, she stood up and got into her car. She was going to visit J in the hospital.

Arriving at the hospital, Cynthia dodged curious passerby left and right. She did _not_ need this in the tabloids. She just needed some damn peace of mind, and she wasn't even sure this would give her any. Keeping her head down, she walked to where J was kept, in the police wing of the hospital. She was glad for once in her life that being the Champion gave her special privileges, as not a soul asked any questions as she slipped inside the too-white room. She pulled up a chair and quietly stared at the sleeping woman, barely older than her. She was on life support, but was expected to live. She looked so peaceful and innocent, like she wasn't the terrible criminal who hunted down innocent Pokemon and sold them without a care. She was almost… cute. Oh, and where the _hell_ had _that_ thought come from!? Was she forgetting who this person was!? "Witch." She murmured aloud. "You've bewitched me, and I don't think you even know it." Cynthia continued to stare, noticing that she wasn't wearing her belt, nor were there any poke balls nearby. Of course, her Pokemon had all been released. After all, she wouldn't need them while serving an automatic life sentence without trial in prison. Cynthia wondered if they missed their trainer. Had she been cruel to them too? She at least seemed to have a strong bond with her Salamence. She had even been clutching its poke ball when she had been found, as if desperately trying to save it. A pang ran through her. Was it possible that J did have a heart buried under her blatant cruelty? She sighed deeply. This visit had not helped her at all. Now she had still more to think about. And the strange aura was still there. She left the hospital with a quiet "goodbye" and rushed back to her hotel room. Not fair. This whole thing was just not fair. Of all the people to be unwillingly obsessed with, it just had to be Pokemon Hunter J.

Cynthia was beginning to hate herself as she drove to the hospital for the fifth time in two months. Nothing was going to be any different, why the hell did she keep going? But something was different, she knew that from the moment she saw the frantic activity from both doctors and police around J's room. J. Did she even have a name? Quickening her pace, she was about to ask what was going on before seeing it herself. The woman was propped up in her hospital bed, clearly awake. They made eye contact and Cynthia gasped, ducking away, fearful of what would happen should she be recognized. An interpol officer gently soothed her, saying that she was in no danger, as shouts of consternation went up at some new revelation. A very peeved Officer Jenny stormed out of the room, nearly yelling at a shocked doctor, and Cynthia was left to stare in utter confusion, not daring to speak. Finally, someone noticed her and pulled her aside, murmuring words that left her in total shock. Amnesia. J had total amnesia. She didn't even remember who she was. ' _Of all the things to deal with…'_ Cynthia walked into the room, gathering all of her courage before looking at the formerly deadly woman in the bed. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused. There was no recognition there at all. She really didn't know anything at all anymore. _'Oh hell. Oh hell, why. Why me. Why her. Why any of this!?'_ She said hello, her voice a tiny whisper. Feeling like an idiot, she looked away, nearly jumping out of her skin when she heard J reply. "Who are you?" "Ah, I'm Cynthia." She replied, too surprised to lie. "I see. Hello, Cynthia." Oh Arceus why was this happening!?


	2. Magnet

Pokemon Hunter J was no longer herself. The last thing she remembered before waking up in this strange room with these strange people was the feeling of death. Now she remembered nothing at all. Not her past, why she was here, or even her name. The words "brain damage" and "irreversible" stuck in her mind, but they had no meaning to her. The people around her were shouting and she was scared. She couldn't move, her entire body hurt, and she couldn't remember anything. Yes, J was really and truly scared. A woman with long blonde hair sat beside her, and told her hello. She said her name was Cynthia. She did not know her own name. They called her "J," but that didn't sound like a real name. She felt a hazy familiarity when the woman spoke, and desperately wanted to cling to that tiny sense of comfort. "Are you someone I know?" ' _Please keep talking… don't leave me here alone...'_

Cynthia did her best to stay calm when she answered J's second question. She was not acting like she'd heard she did… though there was a point, they'd never actually met in person until now. She picked up the strained discussion of what they were going to do with her. The police were advocating to put her in prison despite the loss of memory, and Cynthia, for whatever reason, became very upset. She stood up and walked over to them, fixing them with a steely look. "If I may interrupt, prison is for punishment. You cannot punish a person who doesn't know they've done anything wrong. And as for eliminating the threat, the woman can't get out of bed or remember her own name, what danger could she possibly pose?" ' _Why am I saying this? Why do I give a damn? Oh hell with it, I'm in too deep now.'_

J's head was becoming a bit clearer as she listened to the words that surrounded her. They began to mean something again. Most prominent were the words "prison" and "danger." She knew what danger was, and thought that she might remember that prison was very unpleasant, but she still didn't understand much. She felt an aching pang when the stranger left her side, nearly reaching for her but deciding not to move. Instead, she watched as an argument broke out. She couldn't bear the shouting and the chaos anymore. She needed it to stop. Hot tears filled her eyes as she forced herself to speak. "Cyn...thia? Come sit with me…"

Cynthia swore she nearly broke her own neck when J called her back, her head moved so quickly. She gasped quietly when she saw her, crying and scared and confused. Cynthia had stopped caring that this woman was a cruel and dangerous Pokemon hunter. Right now she was none of those things. Right now she needed someone to just be there. She returned to her seat, talking softly. "It's okay, I know it's loud and confusing but no one will hurt you." She looked towards the bickering doctors and police and snapped at them angrily. "This woman has sustained a severe head injury and is very frightened. If you please, take your altercation outside!" Thanking her lucky stars once again that no one dared question the Champion, she watched as they left the room, looking both ashamed and surprised. J visibly relaxed, turning her head to look directly at her, her eyes clearer and less cloudy. Another question, spoken in that same soft, unsure voice, slipped past her lips. "Who am I?" _'Oh, come on… how am I supposed to answer that?'_ "Um, I'm not sure… see, you never told us your name, so we just call you J." She seemed content with that, and went quiet, closing her eyes with a murmured "thank you." She was asleep in seconds. Cynthia gently put the bed back down flat, and let her sleep, walking outside where people were still in a chaotic mess of shock, anger, and confusion.

After a ridiculously long day of arguing with everyone and their brother, Cynthia sank into her mattress with an exhausted sigh. She had somehow managed to convince interpol to put J in a mental recovery facility, so that she was both under supervision and not suffering a punishment she didn't know she deserved. However, the result of her efforts was a throbbing headache and the desire to sleep for the rest of eternity. So she slept, so deeply she didn't even dream.

J slept fitfully, hazy images of some far-off memory filtering through dreams of cold and dark. A small blue figure with some sort of grey growths on it's head, running around gaily. A still figure with a white, hard shell, eyes glaring from within the cocoon. A large blue figure with red wings, sharp claws, and a long tail. She couldn't remember what it was, but her heart ached from the faint image. Whatever it was, she had loved it deeply, and she wanted it back. She woke up to blinding, painful light and her arm immediately went up to shield her eyes. Silently, her bed was propped up by a stone-faced nurse. "Do you want something to eat?" She said, her voice devoid of any compassion. J nodded, feeling hungry and not noticing the cold attitude everyone treated her with. Soon she had eaten a breakfast of hard pancakes and milk, and set to her daily activity of watching the world pass by, wincing at every flare of sunlight. She wanted to remember more than just the world outside the window, but that was impossible. She wondered if Cynthia would come and see her today. She hoped she would.

True to her compassionate nature, Cynthia could not ignore J, and ended up making the trip to the hospital yet again. The woman was like a magnet, constantly pulling her in. Magnetism was not the cause of this strange attraction, however. Cynthia could sense an aura surrounding the former Pokemon hunter, an aura that something inside of her reacted to. She needed to find out the source of that energy. And, though she was extremely reluctant to admit it, she felt sorry for J. She didn't deserve any pity, sure, but Cynthia had now accepted that she couldn't help her emotions and just went with it. The now familiar path to J's room felt longer than usual, but she made it. Entering the uncomfortably white room, the first thing she saw was J covering her eyes with her arm, flinching away from a sudden flare of sunlight. She remembered J's visor and realized that the woman probably wasn't used to light without it. She slipped out of the room before J could notice her and purchased a cheesy-looking pair of butterfly-patterned sunglasses at the hospital gift shop. Thank Arceus J wasn't her old self or she wouldn't even put these on. But they were the least outrageous pair the shop had to offer. Making the extra long trip from the gift shop to J's room gave Cynthia some time to think. The aura that constantly surrounded the woman, was that the reason she had lived? After all, surviving an underwater explosion seemed absolutely impossible, not to mention lying on the shore for what, two days? Was it possible that some strange force had kept her alive? After all the strange things she had seen in those few days it seemed possible. Sighing, she shoved the thought away for later, entering J's room again. "Hey. I bought you some sunglasses. So the light won't hurt your eyes." As she handed them over J smiled at her, making Cynthia's heart stop entirely. That smile, not a smirk or psychotic grin, but a real, honest, _smile_ , was the sweetest, most innocent expression she had ever imagined such a person could have. "Thank you" she whispered, putting the sunglasses on. "I hoped you would come today." And Cynthia swore her heart had melted entirely. ' _Maybe… just maybe… now, we can be friends…'_


	3. A Name Just For Me

J watched with confusion as Cynthia handed her a pair of sunglasses. They helped with the terribly bright light, but she didn't quite understand why only this person bothered with any kindness towards her. She felt her lips curve into a smile. It didn't matter. She'd come, and that made her so very, very happy. The woman radiated a glow of kindness and power that seemed almost addictive. No one else had that kind of aura. No one else showed her such kindness. Cynthia's visits were the highlight of the long days filled with pain, physical therapy, and endless tests. She hated this place, but she liked Cynthia. She was so bright and warm, just like the sun. J longed for that warmth. She talked with Cynthia about nonsense things, her mind still a jumble of confused half-memories, and Cynthia patiently listened to the nonsensical chatter and held a conversation as best she could. It was a happy time for both of them.

Cynthia allowed J to talk to her as much as she wanted to, even if what she was saying didn't exactly make sense. The woman was so genuinely _happy_ to see her it was almost painful. The lingering fear that J might regain her memories seemed more and more impossible the more she continued to create a "new" self. But there was still something not quite right. She had tried to bring her Togekiss in to show J, maybe bring her a bit of joy, but Togekiss had absolutely refused to enter the room. There were no Chansey or Blissey around either. Pokemon, even Pokemon who didn't know of how awful she had been, would not go near J. Cynthia was extremely confused and a little frustrated as she tried to figure it out. But J's cheerfulness eased the awful frustration in her gut as she let her mind drift away into nonsense babblings about random things. One thing J kept talking about, Cynthia noticed, was they sky. How pretty it was, how it changed colors, how lovely the stars were. It was sweet that she loved it so much. Maybe there was some kind of memory of riding on her Salamence attached to it? Oh well. It didn't matter now.

The next day, J was to be discharged from the hospital and plans were arranged to place her in a convalescent home. Cynthia arrived extra early to try and make sure the trip went smoothly. And when she arrived, just as she had feared, police and doctors were furiously arguing about what to do with her, leaving J, in brand new clothes and the same butterfly-patterned sunglassses, looking frightened and unsure. When Cynthia approached her she reached out a small, thin hand and grabbed hold of her arm, desperate for that familiar warm aura. "What's going on?" She whispered, clearly afraid. Cynthia was angry. After so long of J being forced to recreate everything about herself with no assistance whatsoever, no one had even bothered to realize that J was no longer a threat, that maybe if she was treated with kindness she might give it right back? She shouted at the squabbling people, telling them that there was no reason for this and the only thing that they were accomplishing was causing more confusion. Cowed, they retreated, and Cynthia was left to wait for the transport bus with J, who had been placed in a wheelchair. "It's alright now J." She said softly. "They're going to take you to a new, much nicer place." J looked considerably less afraid as they boarded the small bus and went on their way. She didn't even mind the fact that she was handcuffed to the rail, though Cynthia's blood boiled at the nonsensical cruelty. She simply stared out the window in awe of the world passing by, especially the Pokemon. She did not remember any of their names, but she appeared to remember what they were, at least. Of course, how could anyone forget Pokemon of all things?

One long bus ride later, and both women had arrived at the convalescent home. It was a lovely place, set in a valley with Pokemon all over the place. But, yet again, none would go near J. Cynthia took her mind off the disappointment by changing the subject as the arrangements were settled. "So, J, now that you're here to start a new life, I think you need a new name. How about Livie? It's a name that means "Jay" like the bird Pokemon. Do you like it?" Surprised, J nodded. "Yes, I like it. It sounds nice." Cynthia smiled. "Then it's settled. From now on, you are Livie." The grey-haired woman gave a dazzling smile. "Thank you." Cynthia could not hold back her own smile, adoring the happiness something as simple as a proper name had given someone.

The woman who had been newly blessed with the name Livie was taken to a medium-sized room, with pale blue walls, a carefully made-up bed, and a desk with a lamp, some paper, and a few pencils. There was a ceiling fan/light powered by two switches on the wall, and a large window with an armchair next to it that let the sunlight come streaming in. There was a plain bathroom with a mirror and a shower, but there was nothing else in the room. Livie didn't mind, she was glad just to be out of the hospital. She rose from her wheelchair and sat in the armchair by the window, looking outside at the rich life surrounding her. It was so very, very lovely. The nurse left, so that only Cynthia was with her. Livie smiled at her. "It's so lovely. I like this place very much." She said. Cynthia returned the smile. "I'm glad. It's late now, why don't you get some sleep?" Livie agreed with that suggestion, changing into brand new nightclothes and snuggling up under the warm blankets. She quickly fell asleep.

Cynthia breathed a sigh of relief to see Livie sleeping. The day had gone extremely well and she couldn't be happier. She looked the woman over. Her hair was longer now, reaching past her shoulders. Coupled with the peaceful and innocent expression on her face, she was almost unrecognizable as Pokémon Hunter J. It was unsettling yet relieving at the same time. Cynthia decided that she too needed sleep, and booked a room in the nearest hotel. By now she had long since accepted that she wasn't leaving J- no, Livie, behind any time soon. Sleep came quickly, and before she knew it, it was morning again. She got out of bed and stretched, getting dressed and going to see Livie. She stopped by a store and bought a visor similar to the one Livie had worn before, to replace the ridiculous sunglasses. When she arrived, Livie was sitting in the armchair staring at a flock of Butterfree with a sad expression on her face. This changed when she saw Cynthia. Her smile was the most wonderful thing Cynthia could have ever hoped for.

Livie hadn't slept very well the night before. The same memories of the large Pokemon that she so longed for seemed to torment her. She wanted whatever the creature was back, but she knew that would never happen. Pokémon hated her anyway. This place had Pokémon all over the place and not a one would come anywhere near her. She didn't understand. When Cynthia arrived, the sadness suddenly vanished, especially when she was given her new visor. It fit well and was more comfortable than the sunglasses. She thanked Cynthia sincerely, a fluttering lightness beginning to swirl around in her chest. She really, really liked this gorgeous woman who always supported her. She wanted her to stay by her side forever.


	4. Something That Only I Forgot

After nearly two weeks of exhausting physical therapy, Livie had regained enough strength to go outside for a little while, in a wheelchair, of course. As always, Cynthia was with her as she took in the bright sunshine. The Pokémon scattered when she stepped outside, except for a small Rockruff. Livie scowled. So this was the only Pokémon that wanted to come near her? Rubbish. She kicked it away, frustrated. "Go away! I don't have any treats!" The Rockruff ran away, whimpering. "Stupid Pokémon. I never did anything to them." She muttered, unable to remember that she actually had.

Cynthia stared, horrified, as Livie kicked the Rockruff like it was nothing. Was her old personality re-emerging? She forced herself to stay calm and speak rationally. "You know, kicking a Pokémon won't make it like you… and sometimes Pokémon are just skittish. I'm sure with a little patience you can befriend them." It was very confusing, why Pokémon avoided her like the plague. Cynthia wanted to figure that out. ' _That Rockruff was just a baby… maybe if I find her an egg?'_ She thought. Maybe a friendly Pokémon would ease her frustration. Humming in thought, she watched as Livie tried to shove her frustration aside and enjoy the sunshine. It didn't appear to be very successful, as she turned away and went back inside, seeming content with her own room for now. Cynthia told her goodbye and that she would see her tomorrow, and set out to find a Pokémon egg for her friend.

Livie sat in her armchair with her head in her hands, frustration threatening to boil over. Pokémon hated her. All of them. And some stupid little thing had decided it liked her, for what, some treats that she didn't have? What the hell was going on? She hadn't done anything to those Pokémon. And the memory of the large winged Pokémon in her dreams that had liked her only made her feel worse. She decided she wasn't fond of Pokémon at all. She sighed and decided to take a nap. Her bed was more comfortable than constant thoughts of the entire world seeming to hate her.

Cynthia was currently in her hotel room browsing through her Pokedex, wondering which Pokémon would be the best to give Livie. It had to be friendly, small enough to be comfortable in a convalescent home, and sociable enough to deal with tons of strangers. After a long, sleepless night and about a thousand pages of notes, she decided on what she believed would be a perfect Pokémon, and got on her laptop to find a good breeder and get an egg. She hoped Livie would like it.

Meanwhile, Livie was currently being avoided by absolutely everyone whenever possible. Word about the Rockruff had spread and the staff were fearful that she had returned to her old self. This, of course, only frustrated her more, leading to her becoming very snappish. Irritated, she shut herself away in her room and set to cutting her overly long hair. Of course, cutting it short the way she had unintentionally made her irritability all the more frightening to those around her. She looked outside for a while, but seeing the Pokémon enjoying their carefree lives was too much. She broke down crying and curled up into a ball. ' _Just what did I do that was so terrible? Why do I deserve to be hated?'_

Cynthia was currently nursing a massive headache. Trying to figure out which Pokémon to give Livie had been exhausting, and trying to find a decent Pokémon breeder that had it was even more exhausting. Still, she didn't want to leave Livie alone, so she took an aspirin and got in her car, heading down the now-familiar road. Upon arriving, she instantly sensed that something was wrong. Everyone was very tense and no one greeted her like they usually did. She frowned in concern, hoping that Livie was alright. Walking to her room, she knocked gently on the door before opening it. She couldn't hold back a surprised gasp upon seeing Livie's shorter hair. It made her look like the awful hunter she had been. But when Livie looked at her with tears in her eyes, the apprehension melted away. "Livie? Oh, Livie, what's wrong?" She asked, rushing over to her. "Why are you so upset?" The response nearly broke her heart. "What? Don't you hate me too?"

After an awkward and deeply upsetting conversation, Cynthia had managed to convince Livie that no, she did not hate her. She knew that the woman as confused as to why people were avoiding her, but she just couldn't bear to tell her why. So she gave a partial explanation. "Before you got hurt and lost your memory, you did some things that was very bad. Many people were very upset and they hated you. But then you had a terrible accident and you can't remember any of that now. But Livie, don't be sad. You didn't die. You got another chance, a chance to be a good, normal person. People are going to be like this, but you can't let that make you so upset. You have a second chance now. Take it." She said, gently trying to comfort her. Livie looked at her with wide eyes, clearly surprised. Then she turned away. "I'm sorry Cynthia. I'm sorry for doing terrible things." She sounded so genuinely ashamed of herself that Cynthia wondered if she had ever regretted her actions in the past. She shoved the thought away. It was best not to think about that now. "Livie." She said softly. "Would you like a Pokémon? A Pokémon that likes you?" Livie sighed tiredly. "I don't know if I like Pokémon… but I will give it a try. Thank you, Cynthia."

Leaving the convalescent home was even harder than it usually was for Cynthia. Livie was clearly struggling with her basic personality causing fear, and she didn't know why. The thought hurt her more than anything. She didn't know why. Did it mean she didn't deserve it? She couldn't say. But surely the staff could at least treat her decently. She wrote an email to the staff to let them know about the problem and went back to her hotel, taking off on her Garchomp to pick up Livie's Pokémon egg.

After a long ride in the sky, Cynthia had picked up an egg holding her chosen Pokémon, and carried it back to her hotel. It was a light green and yellow egg with a brown base. It had a slight warmth to it, making it clear that it was alive. She placed the egg in a basket with a warm blanket around it and slept, exhausted by the day's events. She did not dream, as usual when she was very tired, but she felt the bliss of her exhaustion fading away.


	5. Eggs and Emotions

Another night passed. Another long nine hours of darkness was over. Livie awoke to the sun streaming in through her curtains, painfully bright. Cursing, she put her visor on before going to close them, displeased at the unpleasant awakening. But it wouldn't do her any good to sleep in, she wasn't even tired now. Awkwardly hauling herself up with the help of her walking sticks and feeling quite glad she had left the wheelchair behind for good, she went to take a shower. The water felt good, and the tension from the previous day seemed to flow away with it. She stayed under the flow of hot water for longer than was necessary, trying to let it melt away the pain in her muscles and wash the frustration clean from her skin where it clung like stubborn cobwebs. She really, really hated physical therapy. A sudden giggle left her lips. Where on Earth had that thought come from? No, maybe this was a good thing. She couldn't just sit here all day, but maybe if she relaxed and let whatever thoughts into her mind the same relaxing feeling might stay with her. Satisfied with that and feeling her lips curve into a smile, she began the incredibly awkward task of drying herself off when she couldn't stand up without support. ' _I must look really, really stupid right now… no wonder everyone thinks I'm weird.'_ She thought, far too proud to call for help and thus spending a good thirty minutes getting herself dried off. Sighing, she went to her chair and grabbed her hairbrush, closing her eyes and letting her thoughts flow freely with every stroke of the brush. The results were rather interesting.

Livie's back hurt. The physical therapy was starting to get to her, becoming more frustrating the longer she put up with painful exercises and making very slow progress. She hated physical therapy. Wasn't the proper protocol to let sick people rest? Even through her closed eyelids, she could detect the dappled sunlight dancing around the room now that she'd opened the curtains. She thought of the sun, the lovely warmth that contrasted with the painful light and the blue sky. She loved the sky. She remembered black skies lit with countless stars. She remembered the soothing dark grey of storm clouds. But mostly she remembered blue, bright, blinding blue and clouds all around her… wait, that didn't make sense. Clouds weren't supposed to be around her, they were supposed to be above her. But the memory persisted and she let it, let the memory of diving straight through a cold, thick mist of a cloud cause a thrill in her chest, let the memory expand to what was under her feet, the same Pokémon from her dreams, but heart-stoppingly clear. Every detail was sharp and real and if it wasn't merely a memory she would have reached down to touch it, but then it was over. Her thoughts went blank, nothing but the silence and the sunlight on the other side of her eyelids to fill her mind. Her eyes shot open and she let out an enraged cry, unable to hold back the sheer anger at not being able to remember any more than a few fleeting seconds. Whoever she was, whoever she had been, she would _never_ get that back. She was _no one_. Curling up in the chair and wrapping a warm blanket around her, she let herself cry. Tears of anger mixed with tears of sadness flowed down her cheeks. She cried until she was out of strength and a mercifully dreamless sleep claimed her.

After a painfully slow drive spent trying to keep the fragile egg from being damaged or traumatized, Cynthia finally pulled up to the convalescent home. Her chest was light, she was looking forward to seeing Livie. She smiled at the thought. She had ended up really liking Livie, considering her as a friend, though it was still uncomfortable to accept that she liked her when she was all too aware of how awful she was… had been. ' _Had been!_ ' She shouted in her mind, scolding herself for once again falling into doubt. She had told herself she would give Livie a chance at a new life, and be her friend. Someone who she could count on for support. Pokémon Hunter J was gone and in all likelihood she wouldn't be coming back, not with the kind of brain damage Livie had sustained. Taking a deep breath and staring at the sky for a few moments, she calmed herself down and picked up the egg, sitting in a nest she had crafted for it, carrying it inside as carefully as she could. She did not expect to find Livie asleep in her chair. She set the egg down and gently shook her awake, smiling when she opened her eyes. "Hey Livie."

Livie awoke to an awful headache and the sound of the most wonderful voice in the world. Cynthia. ' _I'm not alone, see? Not alone…'_ She thought, still half-asleep as she awkwardly fumbled for her visor and finally looked at her visitor. "Good to see you, Cynthia." She said, feeling light and happy and relieved, she could barely stand being alone with her fragmented memories and hazy thoughts. Cynthia was probably the only thing that kept her sane, given that she never left her room anymore. Something seemed a bit off though. She didn't know what until she spotted the innocuous little egg, sitting innocently in its nest. She growled furiously. "Get that thing out of here." Cynthia blinked in surprise, beginning to protest before Livie snapped. She did not want that egg. She didn't want to spend weeks or months or however long it took caring for it, growing attached to it, wondering what was inside, only for the Pokémon that hatched to despise her like every other Pokémon did. She couldn't bear it. "I said get it out!" She screamed, pushing herself up from the chair intent on forcing the egg away from her, only to end up collapsing as her legs refused to hold her up. Cynthia caught her, wrapping her up in a strong embrace, struggling to calm her down. Livie relaxed, shocked. She couldn't remember anyone ever hugging her before. It felt good. It felt good to be held in someone's arms, warm and safe and secure. "I'm sorry…" She murmured weakly. "I just don't want it."

Cynthia launched herself off the bed and caught Livie as she fell, shock resounding through her. Why would anyone react that way to a simple egg? "Livie, calm down, calm down, please!" She pleaded. "It's only an egg, it's not going to hurt you…" Had this been a bad idea after all? Maybe Livie had changed her mind? "I see that you don't want it." She said softly, still holding Livie. "But can you please tell me why?" Livie managed her explanation as she fought back tears. She didn't want to grow to care for that egg only to be rejected by the Pokémon inside. It made sense, Cynthia had to admit. The woman had awoken in a hospital bed with no memory of much of anything, and for some reason every single Pokémon, and most people for that matter, hated her. It was natural for that to have a detrimental effect on someone's mind. Then it was time to explain her reasoning. "This will be a baby Pokémon." Cynthia murmured, trying her best to keep Livie calm. "It's not going to know anything but you as its caretaker. I'm certain it won't hate you. That's why I got it as an egg. So that it will know you and like you before it's even born. Did you know that a scientist once discovered that Pokémon become conscious at some point before they hatch? I thought that if you talked to it now, you and it could become friends easily when it does hatch."

Livie calmed down, taking a deep breath. Yes, that made sense. It made sense to care for a baby Pokémon. Perhaps she would even enjoy it? Her lips curved into a small smile as she sat up. "That does make sense… I'm sorry I freaked out." She muttered sheepishly, carefully taking the egg into her arms. An odd feeling of tender warmth filled her. She liked this egg. Just holding it made her feel at ease, somehow. "Hello, little egg." She whispered gently. "I'll warn you now, I'm not good at much, but I'll do my best to care for you." Talking to an egg felt utterly ridiculous. She didn't even know if the Pokémon inside could hear her yet. But it also felt natural on some level, as if she talked to eggs often. Cynthia praised her, telling her she was a natural, which made her feel even more odd. ' _Hell, it almost feels like this egg is ours. Wait, no. We're not Pokémon. And we're not…_ ' Livie's thoughts stopped immediately as she looked at Cynthia, felt the usual fluttery lightness in her chest, and returned the dazzlingly kind smile. This wonderful feeling was something a little more than ordinary. ' _In love?'_


	6. Cold Nights and Warm Smiles

It was late at night, and Livie, like every other normal person, was asleep in bed. That was, until the loud shrieking of alarms brought her out of that peaceful sleep. The alarms were accompanied by a voice ordering all residents to evacuate immediately. Livie growled under her breath and got up, putting on her visor even though she didn't need it in the darkness. It had become a comfort, making sure that no one could see her eyes. "I swear to _Arceus_ this had better not be a drill." She grumbled, picking up her Pokemon egg and proceeding to evacuate just like everyone else, still wearing her pajamas. As she stepped outside, she let out an annoyed stream of curses. It was _cold_ out here. As expected for late fall, but still. She sat down on the ground and tucked her knees to her chest, cradling the little egg tenderly. She had grown quite attached to it in the last few days. She kept her keen ears peeled for information as to what was going on, and it didn't take long to get it. Apparently a few people had gotten sick due to carbon monoxide poisoning, so the staff had ordered everyone out until it was safe. Livie frowned, running over her senses to make sure nothing felt off. After determining she was fine, aside from the expected sleepy feeling, her attention turned to the egg in her arms. She didn't know if it was even possible for an unborn Pokémon to get carbon monoxide poisoning, but she didn't want to take any chances. Sighing, she got up and made her way over to the Pokémon center staff who had come to check on the Pokémon, awkwardly asking the local Nurse Joy if it was possible to give her egg a check over. Nurse Joy, who, judging by her happy attitude at this ungodly hour was a Noctowl in disguise, smiled cheerfully and gave the egg to her Chansey, assuring Livie that if anything was wrong, she could help. Livie was left standing off to the side, used to but not at all pleased with the disdainful stares she frequently received. And it was still way too blasted cold.

After a few minutes, Chansey returned with, if one could judge by its cheerful attitude, good news. Nurse Joy confirmed this. Chansey marched towards Livie with its usual grin, holding the egg in its pouch, and then stopped. It suddenly did not look so happy anymore, and set the egg on the ground, rather than approach Livie any more. She gasped and snatched the egg off the cold ground, giving Chansey a chilling glare. "Watch it, you idiot! It'll get chilled on the ground!" She snapped, watching as Chansey toddled away. Immediately she felt a mix of bitter regret and utter confusion. On one side of her, she felt awful for yelling at Chansey. On the other side of her, she wondered why she seemed to be the bane of all Pokémon and yet had grown so attached to one that she hadn't even properly seen. Letting out a low growl, she sat back down on the ground, her body still weak from her mystery "accident" that no one would tell her about, and she drew the egg close to keep it warm. She was shivering now. Blast it, couldn't they at least pass out blankets? There were two hundred some people out here, she couldn't be the only one that was cold. As if on cue, a blanket was draped over her shoulders. Livie, still quite cranky from her unpleasant awakening, snapped at the poor soul who had given her the blanket. "Finally! Do you know how cold it's been for the last hour? I can't feel my-" she froze. The person standing above her was not a staff member or a nurse. It was a tired and messy-haired Cynthia. "Y-you? What are you doing?" The blonde woman smiled and sat down, her long coat keeping her plenty warm. "My job, apparently. They called the hotel when the alarms went off. Apparently they wanted me around in case anything suspicious happened. And you looked pathetically cold." She answered.

Livie blushed furiously. She was not either pathetic. "Why did you even bring a blanket if you had your coat?" She muttered, still less than pleased. She was even less pleased when Cynthia told her she'd brought the blanket for her, knowing that she wouldn't have accepted help from anyone. Though, she wasn't angry at Cynthia, she was more annoyed that she'd hit the nail on the head. She did not like being an open book. Anyone else would have received a furious order to get lost, but Livie held her tongue. This wasn't just anyone. "Thanks." She sighed, after a minute or two of silence. "It's no trouble. That comes when I have to tell the cops that the cause of the accident was most likely a faulty generator instead of some shadowy group of criminals. Some people overreact to _everything_." She reached for her Lucario's poke ball, but drew back once she felt the distinctive aura of anger that meant her Pokémon wanted no part of being let out. Quickly figuring it out, she excused herself and walked away, letting Lucario out to scan the building after it was a sufficient distance away from the silver-haired woman. "Honestly, Lucario. Can't you behave for a little while?" She muttered crossly, still having no idea why Pokémon refused to go near Livie. She was going to have to figure that out. It had become more than a simple aversion by now. Something was going on. But as she was now, sleepy and without access to her laptop or notes, it was useless to put too much thought into it. 'Tomorrow.' She promised herself as she spoke to the police, reassuring them that everything was alright. ' _Today has been far too long.'_

By the time all was calm and it was confirmed that the building was safe, it was already dawn, the rosy color spreading across the sky as sleepy residents made their way back inside. Cynthia went to Livie, and grinned to herself when she discovered the she had fallen asleep curled up in a ball, her egg on her lap. "Livie… Jeez, I need to sleep too." She said, giggling a bit as she woke her. Livie raised her head with a sleepy expression, blinking slowly. "Eh? Did I fall asleep?" She said, noticing that it was no longer dark. Sighing to herself when Cynthia confirmed that yes, she had, she picked herself up and began to walk back into the building, anticipating a warm shower and a proper nap. Cynthia held her hand to prevent her from falling, which, given she was still half asleep, wasn't exactly a bad idea, but Livie was still rather adverse to the idea of accepting help. Still, she readily admitted to herself (and _only_ herself) that having Cynthia's hand wrapped around her wrist brought a welcome feeling of security as a dazzling sunrise split the sky. Maybe that nap could wait, she could already smell breakfast. Giving a rare smile, she tugged Cynthia inside. "Let's eat." She offered. Cynthia accepted, returning the simple smile. There was no need for fancy words or stiflingly proper mannerisms when she was with Livie, which brought her more comfort than any bed ever would.


	7. Smoke and Mirrors

Morning. Bright sunshine, singing bird Pokémon, and a feeling of relaxed contentment through Livie's body as she took a shower. She was finally healing. Her body was getting stronger, her scars were fainter, and she was, for once, anticipating the day to come. Until she accidentally looked into the mirror. Livie didn't like mirrors. Not only were they a reminder that she looked like a horrible criminal (she was, but she liked to consider herself separate from this person she remembered nothing about) but she didn't like the feeling of staring at her own reflection. It was eerie. Thus, she normally avoided mirrors. But this time, she accidentally caught a glimpse of the object… and froze solid, staring with wide eyes. The mirror did not show her reflection. Instead, there seemed to be a completely different world, a dimension of shadows, contained within the mirror. Transfixed, she drew closer, despite wanting to run away. She continued staring into the mirror as if hypnotized, somehow unable to look away as the shadows shifted, forming nonsensical and yet somehow familiar shapes. Her heart raced with panic. She knew this was wrong, but she could not pull her body away. It was only when she caught a glimpse of glowing eyes staring at her that she jerked back, a scream escaping her as she broke out of her trance, falling to the ground in a dead faint.

Livie awoke on the bathroom floor, a towel draped over her body as a nurse fussed over her. She blinked, her head hurting all of a sudden. "What happened?" She asked, trying to sit up only for the nurse to push her back down. "You fainted." The nurse said. "Did you get the water too hot? Why did you scream?" Livie tried to make sense of what she'd just seen, but ended up making none at all to the confused nurse. "The mirror." She said. "There's something in it. Another dimension or something. I saw it. There's something there." She felt panic rise up in her again, almost as if she was going to vomit. The nurse frowned, assuring her that it was an entirely normal mirror and that there was nothing odd about it. She helped Livie to her bed and told her to her rest, reassuring her she had just been dreaming. Livie thought that was bullshit, she had _not_ been dreaming that, but now she was so damn _tired_ all of a sudden she just agreed and went to sleep again.

Cynthia quietly entered Livie's room, hoping to visit with her again today, but stopped dead as the breath seemed to be sucked from her lungs. Livie was sleeping peacefully in her bed, but the aura in the room was raging and swirling with a wild unfamiliarity, so powerful that Cynthia was forced to sit down to escape the dizzying effect. It was the same aura she'd felt the first few weeks after she'd found Livie at Lake Valor, but much stronger. This was very strange. Even more strange was that no one seemed to notice it. She steadied her breathing and her mind, and stood up. It wasn't harmful, apparently. She didn't feel ill or in pain. Just overwhelmed. She carefully shook Livie awake, wondering if she would feel it. Judging by the way she jolted awake in alarm, she definitely did.

Livie turned to look at Cynthia with wide, confused eyes, the first thing out of her mouth a near-frantic question. "Cynthia? It's back. Where is it? Where did it go?" Confusion. What the hell was she talking about? "Err, I'm the only one here, Livie. You feel that aura, right? Do you know what it is?" She asked, feeling oddly as if she were trying to communicate complex ideas to a young child. Livie sighed irritably. "Well, at least someone gets it. Yeah, I know. It's in the mirror." Cynthia nodded, as if this statement made perfect sense, and went into the bathroom to look at the mirror. It was, for all intents and purposes, a completely normal mirror. ' _Fantastic. Now what's going on?_ ' She thought, thinking back to that night when she had convinced herself that a supernatural force was the only reason Livie had survived. ' _Well there's a point. If that's true, it saved her, not me. So if it's in the mirror of course I can't see it.'_ She realized. She went back to reassure Livie that both of them were safe, placing her egg, which was getting closer to hatching by the minute, in her arms to calm her. They talked idly, noticing the aura fading over time. Eventually it was back to the same barely detectable trace as always. Livie's head had cleared, and she tried to tell Cynthia what she'd seen in the mirror. Cynthia listened patiently, but as the confusing explanation slowly settled in her mind, her blood ran cold. Mirrors. Another dimension. There were myths of people being spirited away into the distortion world via mirrors, trapped in the realm of Giratina. Giratina, the master of the underworld, afterlife, and the souls of the dead. Was it possible Livie really had died, and Giratina had revived her? If so, what reason would such a fickle and antisocial Pokémon have to care about the life of a human? Time for yet more research. And then another thought trickled into her mind. Was this woman's amnesia a result of the trauma of her injuries, or had her memories been erased on purpose? ' _I need to figure this out...'_ She thought, her nerves now thoroughly frayed. She tried to be logical, writing the other options, that Livie had just gotten the water too hot and it was a simple dream, or even a hallucination. She was brain damaged, after all. But none of those could explain the odd energy, unless both of them were crazy. She needed. To research. Whatever the hell was going on. Or at least try to. However, just leaving so quickly might arouse suspicions. She was already thanking her lucky stars Livie had no interest in tabloids. So she took out her laptop and started her research right then and there, continuing a lighthearted conversation with her enemy-turned-friend. ' _Not_ _thinking about that!'_ She yelled in her mind, blocking off all thoughts of Hunter J. It wasn't fair to be hung up on that when she herself had literally no idea of what she'd done besides "bad." So there would be no thinking about psychotic criminals. None at all. Not even wondering if perhaps Livie's memories had been wiped because she was a psychotic criminal. _None. At. All._

And then she ended up in the gossip news part of the internet and all mental discipline went out the window, along with her dignity as she started to flush red at the positively inane rumors. There were the predictable conspiracies about love affairs, or working with a criminal who was only pretending to have amnesia, or that she had a mental disorder (no one could decide on which one) or that Livie wasn't Hunter J at all, just a cover so the woman could escape the law and continue her nefarious work. And then there were the weird ones. Way too many weird ones. Livie was a Pokémon turned human. The two of them were practicing witchcraft. Cynthia was a secret agent. (She'd laughed at that one, she had thought of joining Interpol at one time.) and still more that didn't even warrant an _attempt_ at comprehension. This was why being a celebrity was not all fun and games. She could not do anything without some idiot's idea going viral. Still, the one about secret agents stuck in her mind for an annoyingly long time, until it hit her. ' _Of course! I need Looker!'_

The rest of the day was annoyingly awkward. There was no way she could call Looker here, so she needed to stay long enough for her leaving to be reasonable. But she just wasn't able to enjoy being with Livie as much as usual, and she knew the feeling was mutual judging by the unusual level of sarcasm and biting comments from the other woman. Obviously, both of them were quite stressed. In an attempt to keep an argument from breaking out, Cynthia coaxed Livie into going for a walk, the distraction from this building would be just what she needed. Of course, she wasn't allowed to go very far even with a guide, but just a little sunshine did seem to calm her. She looked away from the sun and up at the blue sky, dotted with feathery wisps of white clouds. A small smile appeared on her lips. She really did love the sky. "Come on. Let's walk a little." She said gently, refraining from reaching for her hand for fear of setting her off. Livie nodded, setting off slowly, her steps small and careful. She was near-completely healed, but still had to be careful not to strain her body too much. Cynthia kept pace as best she could, staying quiet. The sun was getting low, she noticed. She would have to leave soon. It seemed unfair for that to happen just as she was getting to actually enjoy this visit, but there would be others. She had to try and keep logic at the forefront of her mind. "Cynthia? It's late now. We should go inside." Livie's voice broke through her thoughts. She should go, she really should go and get some research done before it was too late… but then again it was getting closer to winter. The sunset didn't mean it was that late. "We don't have to yet." She found herself saying. "Let's go and watch the sunset."

She couldn't resist the expression of peace and happiness on Livie's face when she watched the sky. She wanted to give her a chance to watch the brilliant sunset. Carefully, they climbed a small hill together, sitting down to watch as the sun dipped below the horizon, splashing reds, oranges, and pinks which blended with blues to make purples and a few greens across the sky. Livie stared with childlike amazement. "I don't remember anything like this…" She said softly. "But if it's always so beautiful, I've surely watched it before." She turned to Cynthia, noting with awe how her hair seemed almost orange in this light. "Thank you so much. I'm glad I could see this." She went stiff with surprise as Cynthia patted her head, smiling. "I'm glad too. Let's go inside now. It's getting cold." She had to agree with that. The trees were nearly bare by now. She walked back inside, feeling much more at ease now. She shared a rare and somewhat shy hug with Cynthia as they said goodnight, before sitting down to relax a bit, not yet ready for sleep. She wasn't as scared as she had been, though. Whatever was in the mirror, it was okay. She had Cynthia to help her through whatever problems she had and with her, no mirror could harm her. It was going to be alright.


End file.
